-9 and the budgie is still going strong
 

I've named him Snowcap. I was sure with it being so cold last night, that would be it for him. I was surprised to see him at the feeders yesterday after all that freezing rain and snow and then he appeared again this afternoon. Here's a couple of pics of the miracle bird just after he arrived today.

Brave little guy , let's hope he has a heated hiding place :fingerscr

:eek: You know me ~ a know-nothing about birds... will he survive the winter?

They're native to Australia, I didn't think he'd survive this long. He's an amazing little bird.

:sad: Obviously he's someone's... or [I]was[/I] someone's companion.

I've seen a few signs in my neighbourhood about lost birds :sad:

I hope he finds [I]somewhere[/I] to live for the winter.

Try putting a birdcage with some food in it on your porch and see if you can catch the little guy. I would be surprised if he survived the winter loose.

He's as wild as they come. I've had 2 birdcages outside for weeks now. I know he won't survive the winter, but each day I see him is a bonus. As long as he's keeping warm at night and eating well he stands a chance. The only way I'm going to catch him is if he gets weak and I'm not sure I can bring a bird back from a repristory infection if it comes to that.

Snowcap is a pretty bird i hope she does survive the winter..

I've come to the conclusion that winter is not what's going to kill this budgie. Snowcap was down at the feeders as soon as it was light this morning and looking every bit as strong as ever. :D

Odds are definetly against him,but who knows:confused:
I would keep an eye on him and if there is any sign of weakness,pick him up and bring him to HS and they would take care of him,at least ours in Oakville would.

Brave little boy (yes, I looked at his beak, there's blue over it, not rust-color, he's a he).

He MIGHT make it ... I know there is quite a flock in Hyde Park in London (UK) which has formed from escaped cage birds. Although London UK is not as cold as Canada in general, he might just make it anyway.

Maybe if you tried putting out a nesting box with some warm "stuff" inside - somehting safe for him, like wood shavings and/or sawdust from untreated woos. He might just go in there! Hang a branch of millet in front and inside of it, he'll get the message.

Budgies are smart birds after all.

:fingerscr: for the little guy.

(Keep us posted)

Snowcap is very pretty. Good luck to the little guy. :fingerscr :goodvibes:

Maybe he has somewhere sheltered to hide out at night when it is bitterly cold. Birds are pretty smart. Hopefully he continues to do ok and makes it all the way to spring!

Please tell us he's still OK :eek: :eek:

[QUOTE=SARAH;510773]Please tell us he's still OK :eek: :eek:[/QUOTE]

Yep, Snowcap is fine.
Hubby saw him this afternoon when he got home and filled up the feeders. The first load of sparrows came in without him, so hubby thought he might be gone, but the second wave came in with the budgie and he had a good dinner. That budgie can really eat.
I never get to see him during the week. Dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I get home, but I look forward to the weekends when I get to see him.
He's an amazing budgie.

Cindy

Do you think he can survive winter ? :fingerscr

Hey Cindy... do you think you could get video of him? I think it would be a great story for the news! Maybe snag the interest of some crazy bird people ( I mean that affectionately like I refer to myself as Crazy cat lady... ;) ) that might want to help catch him!

[QUOTE=krdahmer;511233]Hey Cindy... do you think you could get video of him? I think it would be a great story for the news! Maybe snag the interest of some crazy bird people ( I mean that affectionately like I refer to myself as Crazy cat lady... ;) ) that might want to help catch him![/QUOTE]

Heheh, and you'd get to be on the news too :cool:

He could survive if he has a warm place to snuggle into at night and during blizzards. The fact that he's still around indicates that he does have a "hole-in-the-wall" somewhere.

Good for him!

And krdahmer, I'm one of the crazy bird people, lol. And crazy cat person, and crazy dog person, and ...

I'm surprised the little guy has made it this far. The only known flock of budgies is in Florida (escaped birds). As for the flock in Hyde Park, London. Believe me SARAH, there is no comparison with the weather, I grew up in London and we were lucky as kids to be able to make a snowball. Maybe since he has been on the loose for so long, he is gradually getting acclimatized. They say we are in for a doozy this year. I hope he makes it.

Dahmer,that's a great idea,even if it's only in the local paper:thumbs up
I've had Budgies here at my feeders a few times and we'd try desperatly to catch them but to no avail.
A couple of winters ago I had a pair,I only found one of them dead,but I think they both died:cry:
Hopefully this little beauty has a safe spot away from the cold:pray:

[QUOTE=Chris21711;511259]I'm surprised the little guy has made it this far. The only known flock of budgies is in Florida (escaped birds). As for the flock in Hyde Park, London. Believe me SARAH, there is no comparison with the weather, I grew up in London and we were lucky as kids to be able to make a snowball. Maybe since he has been on the loose for so long, he is gradually getting acclimatized. They say we are in for a doozy this year. I hope he makes it.[/QUOTE]

I know London weather well enough too, but what I meant was that they do get acclimatized to a degree, especially if they get away when it's warm and the cold comes gradually. An in-doors bird getting out today wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell, but this guy must have been outside for a good while.

But yeah, if the winter gets really rough I don't give much for his chances out there on his own :sad:

My camera lets you take short video clips. I'll give it a try. Not sure if I want a bunch of people around here trying to catch him though. :laughing:

He must have a warm place to sleep at night, it's been mighty cold here the last few weeks.

I worry most about the kestrel getting him. That's one fast falcon and the budgie stands out like a sore thumb amongst the sparrows.

Cindy

clm,yes,other than the cold,that is definetly the worst danger..
I had this beautiful green and yellow bird(no idea what it was)a wild bird,sticking around my feeders and one day all I found was green and yellow feather,I cried:sad:
Right now,looking out the window,everything is still,no bird in sight,there is a very large Hawk in the tree,beautiful!
The Squirrels freeze in place,although I've never seen a Hawk go for a mature Squirrel.
The Mourning Doves are either brave or stupid,they are hanging around on the cable-wire:confused:

Has Snowcap been sighted recently?

[QUOTE=chico2;511671]clm,yes,other than the cold,that is definetly the worst danger..
I had this beautiful green and yellow bird(no idea what it was)a wild bird,sticking around my feeders and one day all I found was green and yellow feather,I cried:sad:
Right now,looking out the window,everything is still,no bird in sight,there is a very large Hawk in the tree,beautiful!
The Squirrels freeze in place,although I've never seen a Hawk go for a mature Squirrel.
The Mourning Doves are either brave or stupid,they are hanging around on the cable-wire:confused:[/QUOTE]

The lady who sold us the house said there's often a small falcon around here in the winter, taking small birds :sad: still, they have to survive too poor things, so they can take the mice in summer! I haven't seen it yet though, so I don't know what kind it is yet.

I hope it takes the starling :evil: but I guess they're too large for a small falcon :frustrated:

:fingerscr for Snowcap!

Sarah,that is the way of nature,the Birds of Prey have to survive.
It just looks really brutal.:sad:
I had a large Hawk with a pigeon in his talons sitting on my pool-railing one fallday,the pigeon struggling to get loose,it was very sad,I love our pigeons:sad:
All I hope for is that the Hawks are swift killers,that their prey don't suffer too much..
Still,I am always in awe seeing these majestic beautiful birds.

Oh so am I. In fact, I like them as much as the smaller birds. It's just starling and crows I don't like! And buzzards, they're ugly - but there aren't too many around here :laughing:

Sarah,I have been feeding Crows for several years now,if you see beyond their blackness,they are intelligent,entertaining birds.
They keep a watch and often scare away any intruders into their territory.
At the moment I have 3 and they don't let any other Crows come here:laughing:
I feed them our leftovers:laughing:and they let me know when they are here to eat.
The best part is when their babies are big enough to fly,then they bring them here to introduce us:laughing:
I've studied their dynamics and they are just birds trying to survive,too bad they were not born with beautiful colours.
Am I a little weird???yeah,probably:laughing:

Yeah you're weird :laughing: as weird as me :laughing: :laughing:

It's their "song" I don't like! Then again, if I see them as flying Louis Armstrongs ... :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

[QUOTE=chico2;514267]Sarah,I have been feeding Crows for several years now,if you see beyond their blackness,they are intelligent,entertaining birds.
They keep a watch and often scare away any intruders into their territory.
At the moment I have 3 and they don't let any other Crows come here:laughing:
I feed them our leftovers:laughing:and they let me know when they are here to eat.
The best part is when their babies are big enough to fly,then they bring them here to introduce us:laughing:
I've studied their dynamics and they are just birds trying to survive,too bad they were not born with beautiful colours.
Am I a little weird???yeah,probably:laughing:[/QUOTE]

I love crows too Chico2. They are so smart, and remarkably cautious for such big powerful birds. They'll come down for peanuts in the shell if you scatter them far enough from the house that they'll feel safe coming to get them.
Ferocious parents though. My parents always end up with babies not quite ready to fly in the back of their yard every year and you don't dare try to go near them or mom and dad buzz you. :laughing:

Cindy